Hay, straw, and other fibrous material is typically baled so that it can be handled, transported and stored. Such material may be formed into small or large bales which may be square or round. Normally, bales of material are stacked upon one another in a stack for storage. They may also be stacked upon each other on trailers or trucks for transport.
A variety of equipment has been previously used to lift and carry bales. For example, small bales can be picked up off the ground and stacked automatically on powered bale wagons, after which the bales are unloaded into stacks. Large bales can be picked up from the ground by means of a tractor loader with a grapple fork or by means of a forklift or other suitable equipment. The prior types of equipment are typically specifically designed for handling specific types of bales and are not suitable for handling all types of bales.
Tractor loaders having a bucket and a grapple fork or clamp arm are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,348,715, 4,403,906, and 5,094,581. Various types of stackers for handling loose hay or stray have been previously used (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,619,242 and 2,676,719). Tractor loaders with buckets and push-off plates have also been previously known (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,798,627 and 3,079,021).
Various types of large bale transporting devices have also been described. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,985,246; 3,974,926; 3,934,726; 4,073,532; 4,264,252; and 4,367,062. None of such devices, however, are capable of handling all types of baled materials.
There has not heretofore been described apparatus or equipment which is capable of readily and effectively lifting and handling all types of baled materials.